The story of Rin-Tin-Tin : the marvelous and amazing dog of the movies

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Hhe Stow of

RINTIN-TIN

Ike Marvelous & Amazing
Dog of the Movies

W698

Appearing Exclusively in
Warner Bros. Productions

1927— Whitman Publishing Co., Racine, Wis

Printed in U. S. A.

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HP HERE had been an unusually active skirmish
* near Metz. The Germans had been surprised,
prisoners had been taken. Among them were two
police dogs.

A United States Aero Squadron immediately
made the two its mascots. Much to the delight
of the men, two police puppies were born soon
thereafter. One of these was named Rin-Tin-Tin.

An auspicious birth. The puppy took it all as
a matter of course. He grew fast, and his puppy
days were of short duration. The men began
to take note of his unusual intelligence; he was
at once taught to act as sentry and to carry dis-
patches.

However, it was as a Red Cross worker that
he was most valuable. He never tired, he seemed
to sense the things to do; intelligence of so high
an order coupled with the remarkable instincts of
the police dog were the very things needed in the
work of the Red Cross. Rin-Tin-Tin soon became
famous.

The dog loved it all. War seemed natural
to him, he had known no other life. Suffering,

374 1 7 Niles Blvd jgfjg: /( 5 1 0-494- 1411

Fremont, CA 94536 www.nilesfilmmuseum.org

Scanned from the collections of
Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum

Coordinated by the
Media History Digital Library
www.mediahistoryproject.org

Funded by a donation from
Jeff Joseph

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2012 with funding from

Media History Digital Library

http://archive.org/details/storyofrintintinOOunse

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THE STORY OF RIN-TIN-TIN

wounds, death, turmoil, shot, shell, deadly gases,
all seemed part of life. He loved the men with
whom he worked; they all had time to be kind to
him, for he was a great favorite. Many a man
owed his life to him, and such is superstition that
the success of the squadron was attributed to the
mascot.

Puppyhood days were gone when the war was
over. A strange, unearthly quiet it seemed to the
wondering dog. No more cannon's roar, no more
fighting. Instead, men were at ease, yet with a
great yearning which the dog sensed because of
his great intelligence. The yearning to get back
home, back to the old surroundings. Only, Rin-
Tin-Tin knew nothing of home, nothing of other
surroundings. The war had been his cradle, the
trenches his surroundings.

Puppyhood days were gone, as I have said.
With the entry into grown-up dogdom, Rin-Tin-
Tin's intuition, intelligence, instinct, seemed to
key to a high point. The wonder around the camp
grew. Men talked and talked about his abilities.

Among the men was one, Lieutenant Lee
Duncan, who had endeared himself to all. He
was the squadron's great favorite, and his con-
sideration and kindness were now to be rewarded.
For, in making a decision as to what to do with
Rin-Tin-Tin before breaking camp previous to
the return home, the men remembered Duncan's
keen interest in the police dog and decided to

THE STORY OF RIN-TIN-TIN

present Rin-Tin-Tin to him. Not only Rin-Tin-
Tin, but his sister Nanette, of whom mention was
made at the beginning of this narrative.

Such was the early life of Rin-Tin-Tin. And
nothing counted more in his rise to greatness than
being turned over to his new master. For Lieu-
tenant Duncan was quick to realize the dog's
possibilities; he saw the dog's power, his uncanny
ability, his artistry.

He admired Nanette too; she was a fine type of
police dog, but his enthusiasm and hopes were for
her brother.

There were many obstacles to overcome before
the dogs were permitted to leave France. Ships
were crowded, it was hard to make the Trans-
portation Division see why two dogs had to go
across. Infinite patience and tact did it — and at
last the two dogs were bound Americaward.

Arriving on his home shores, Duncan decided
to paft with Nanette. The trip across had sick-
ened the dog, and she needed care and attention.
Such was the fineness of her breed that he had
very little trouble in interesting one of the best
known fanciers of police dogs.

"And now for you, oh, Rin-Tin-Tin." Already
he had visions of the movies, of their possibilities.

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THE STORY OF RIN-TIN-TIN

Now, the wonderful success of Rin-Tin-Tin in
the movies was due to a number of things: first
and foremost, of course, his own intelligence, his
highly developed instincts, which included an
ability to put himself into roles and situations;
second, the vision of Lieutenant Duncan; and last,
constant training, teaching, in fact a thorough,
systematic course to develop technique, which
every actor needs.

But care, great care, was taken to keep the
dog's instincts, his prowess, at top notch. All the
technique in the world meant nothing without
Rin-Tin-Tin's wonderful birthright gift.

THERE COMES THE GREAT CALL OF THE WILD

In £he cMovie^o>
" Where {he cNorfti ^e&ins"

In the movie, "Where the North Begins," the
dog played an extraordinary part. He was one
of a wolf pack, a throwback, for his father had
been a dog. He comes upon the human smell;
strange feelings move him.

Gabrielle, the trapper, had started out with his
dogs and furs. It was important for him to reach
the trading station. He has been hurt; he is
deserted. He hears the ominous call of the wolf
pack.

The instincts of the strange wolf's forbears
move him. He reverts back, all his instincts are
to protect this strange being — man was, after all,
his master. He fights off the wolves, he protects
the man, finds a hiding place that is safe; in all,
Gabrielle, the trapper, recovers and goes on his

way.

________

RIN-TIN-TIN FINDS A MASTER

THE STORY OP RIN-TIN-TIN

With him is this new dog, strange in his ways,
powerful, all-conquering. None can cope with
him. The dog worships his master; he is happy
when in his presence. He covers the Great North
with him. Master and dog make an ideal pair
in following their vocation.

Rin-Tin-Tin is almost satisfied. Of course,
there comes the great call of the wild, his old
life with the wolf pack haunts him, the desire to
return is never entirely gone. He weighs it all in
true dog fashion, often tempted, greatly tempted.
The love for his master conquers everything.

A wonderful part, and those who saw him in it
acclaimed him the greatest dog, and one of the
finest actors, in Moviedom.

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IN "FIND YOUR MAN'

In fhe cMovie^o>
uFind Your Man"

He played an entirely different character in
"Find Your Man." The dog's ability to pick out
his man among the many and having found him,
to hold him, to bring him down is the natural in-
stinct of the police dog. Lieutenant Duncan,
however, knew how much more highly developed
it was in Rin-Tin-Tin. Memories of the war days
were still with him. There was a picture in his
mind of Rin-Tin-Tin, the Red Cross Dog. The
directors of "Find Your Man," played up these
abilities, built around them, and so were able to
make a remarkable film. Rin-Tin-Tin was in his
glory. He acted his part as if it all were actual
life's adventures.

Movies such as these made the dog famous,
but Rin-Tin-Tin's head was never turned. He
kept his own modest way, very happy, well content.

On the other hand, his lot was indeed for-
tunate, and while fame and adulation may have
meant less to him than to other stars of Moviedom,
yet it must have counted a little bit to this dog
with his high mental development.

In {he cMovie^c)
"The Lighthouse by {he Sea"

One of the greatest of the Rin-Tin-Tin movies
was the epic developed from that famous play of
Owen Davis, "The Lighthouse by the Sea." Very
aptly, an outstanding picture of this movie be-
comes the title page of this book.

The picture is of William Collier, Jr., and Rin-
Tin-Tin. The sea is calling them, and the sea,
because of its mystery, depicts dreams, desires,
ambitions.

. This picture again is a straight departure for
the dog from other roles. In this he has lived a
life at sea, he loves the sea, he loves everything
it represents. The old lighthouse-keeper was
blind, old, and helpless, yet with Rin-Tin-Tin he
was miraculously protected — with Rin-Tin-Tin
there, the light was safe.

The dog symbolizes loyalty of the highest
degree in this picture. His master's enemies are
his enemies; with his keen, wonderful instincts,
he detects the would-be friend who is in reality
an enemy. His master's enemies hate this dog,
plan to do away with him. But he proves their
match.

THE STORY OF RIN-TIN-TIN

The name of Rin-Tin-Tin has become a house-
hold word. Loved by children, admired by grown-
ups, it is almost hard to recall the days when
Rin-Tin-Tin in his new picture for the year has
not been an important event in filmdom.

Yet he has hardly matured. He is not yet
more than in his full prime. And because each
picture proves he has greater abilities, the pic-
tures to come promise that much more to the
legion who follow the films.

It is almost unfair to his other pictures to speak
of only three of them. In doing this, it has been
the thought to point out three widely different
stories, different actions and scenes, with the idea
of pointing out to you his versatility.

Perhaps the whole story of Rin-Tin-Tin can
be summed up in this; that his enthusiasm is
strong enough never to lessen. And after all,
isn't that the real definition of greatness?

And now, in conclusion, may we be permitted
to point out the excuse for this book? It is not
the story of Rin-Tin-Tin, for, after all, the real
story of Rin-Tin-Tin can only be written when
he, like all his forbears, goes to the happy hunting
grounds. History cannot be written of those who
live, only of those who have departed, for then
only do we have the true perspective.

HE LOVES THE SEA

THE STORY OF RIN-TIN-TIN

No, the reason for the book is the pictures
therein, beautiful reproductions of the life of this
dog, colored to add to their values. Lovers of
Rin-Tin-Tin will love these pictures; lovers of all
dogs will appreciate these wonderful reproduc-
tions of man's noblest friend.

This, then, is the story of Rin-Tin-Tin, merely
an outline, a sketch, for the real story is yet to
come.

HE IS NOT YET MORE THAN IN HIS FULL PRIME